Key events
55 mins: Brentford break again, Damsgaard just unable to pick out Ouattara with a low cross. From the corner Areola is caught wandering again, but the hosts survive.
54 mins: Summerville carries the ball well again before Soucek’s shot is deflected into the air, and down into Kelleher’s arms.
52 mins: Kilman tries to clip a cross into the area but it’s cleared and Todibo simply has to stop Schade from getting forward. He fails to do so and Schade wheels away – but his final pass to Thiago is wayward.
51 mins: West Ham look to have turned up the tempo but will it leave them open at the back? Thiago finds Ouattara on the right but his first touch allows Areola to come out and collect.
49 mins: West Ham clear it and Summerville speeds upfield, before skewing a long-range effort wide. Paqueta was in a decent position to his left.
48 mins: Ajer wins the ball and canters through midfield before his hopeful shot is blocked out … for a throw in.
47 mins: I think that means a switch to a back three, with Diouf and Wan-Bissaka acting as wing-backs. The new setup immediately has to deal with a long throw/corner combo, and does so unconvincingly.
Second half
Three half-time changes from Nuno, and all three new arrivals are defenders. Diouf, Wan-Bissaka and Mavropanos on; Scarles, Fernandes and Walker-Peters off.
“God that was poor,” writes Ian Sergeant, who is lucky enough to be at the ground tonight. “The inverted second-choice full-backs aren’t working. Paqueta is no more a No 9 than I am. This is grim. Will it get worse?” Maybe!
“At least the West Ham fans boycotting the match aren’t missing much,” notes Kari Tulinius. “I find it odd just how bad the Irons have been so far this season. They weren’t good last season, but they didn’t play with the defensive cohesion of kindergartners on a sugar high. Mind you, there’s enough talented players in the squad to nick a goal or two.”
Another question for you. If Nuno checks his phone at half time and sees a missed call from Evangelos Marinakis, what’s he going to do?
“I know we’re not even a quarter of the way into the season, but it already looks like West Ham (and Wolves) have booked their relegation spots,” writes Richard Warwick. “If one of the top clubs come sniffing with a decent lump of cash in January, would Bowen and/or Paqueta jump ship?”
Half time: West Ham 0-1 Brentford
And with that tiny crumb of comfort in his pocket, Nuno heads down the tunnel. Brentford have been really good, West Ham have been rubbish, and could easily have been further behind. But they’re not, so there’s still hope.
NO GOAL! Thiago is offside
A mighty reprieve for the hosts as Thiago is ruled offside by VAR. No semi-automated technology tonight – it’s not working – so the much-loved red and green lines are back.
GOAL?
Thiago nods a long ball back to Damsgaard, who splits the West Ham centre-backs with a through ball, allowing Thiago to lift the ball over Areola for his second goal of the night. But wait – there’s an offside check …
50 mins: The corner is half-cleared, and Summerville’s attempted ball back in goes beyond everyone. Still, at least they’re only 1-0 down, right. Right?!
49 mins: Ooof! Easily West Ham’s best chance of the half as Bowen goes for goal and forces a strong save from Kelleher, down to his right.
47 mins: West Ham will at least have to be more ambitious in the second half, and they are a little more positive here. Bowen is brought down by Ajer, but no free kick is forthcoming.
44 mins: There was a handball check on Schade, but it’s cleared by the VAR. There’ll be six minutes of added time, and West Ham will do well to go in just one goal behind.
GOAL! West Ham 0-1 Brentford (Thiago 42′)
A long ball up to Schade has West Ham all over the place, Kilman kicking at thin air, and despite losing the ball briefly, Schade is able to square it to Thiago. Areola gets a good hand to his shot, but it loops meekly into the far corner.
42 mins: Another corner fizzes across goal, Thiago again half an inch from nodding it home. But never mind …
40 mins: This long series of set-piece tests continues with another long throw. It’s cleared as far as Yarmoluk, whose attempted shot is so bad, he ends up trapping the ball.
39 mins: Ajer, playing as a makeshift left-back, wins a corner off Ollie Scarles. The cross is right on Ouattara’s head with West Ham defenders static, but he can’t steer his header on goal.
On boycotts, Tim Stappard says: “Owners don’t care about their fans at all, and you can no longer really hurt them financially. They’d rather have tourists in anyway, not season ticket holders who don’t buy anything from the store.”
37 mins: Bowen breaks away at speed but is let down by a lack of options around him.
36 mins: Todibo gets across well to dispossess Ouattara, but concedes a throw in. This time, Paqueta is there to thunk it away at the near post.
34 mins: Summerville scraps at Collins’ heels as the Brentford defender tries to shepherd it out, and he’s penalised. Still, the ball briefly left the West Ham half.
32 mins: Thiago has another chance with a header which Walker-Peters blocks at the near post, and another penalty box scramble sees Ouattara’s flick spin just wide of goal. I’m not sure how Brentford haven’t scored yet.
31 mins: Brentford are going for the jugular here, West Ham so disorganised they allow Mikel Damsgaard a free header, which Areola does well to tip away.
30 mins: Brentford hit the bar! Kayode’s throw is flicked on by Ouattara to Thiago, five yards out – who somehow steers his volley onto the crossbar! It looked easier to score.
29 mins: Ouattara’s shot is deflected behind for a corner, which is cleared for a throw in. No, that’s worse!
28 mins: West Ham do get a chance to break and Summerville bursts down the middle, chased by Yarmoluk. He goes down in the area, but the referee waves play on. There was contact, but it was initiated by the West Ham winger as he went to ground.
